Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Vent

Vent (vent) , noun

[French vente, from Latin vendere, -itum, to sell; perh. confused with English vent an opening. See Vend.]

Sale; opportunity to sell; market. [Obsolete] — Shelton
There is no vent for any commodity but of wool. — Sir W. Temple

Vent , transitive verb

To sell; to vend. [Obsolete]
Therefore did those nations vent such spice. — Sir W. Raleigh

Vent , noun

[Sp. venta a poor inn, sale, market. See Vent sale.]

A baiting place; an inn. [Obsolete]

Vent , intransitive verb

[Compare French venter to blow, vent wind (see Ventilate); but prob influenced by English vent an opening.]

To snuff; to breathe or puff out; to snort. [Obsolete] — Spenser

Vent (vent) , noun

[Old English fent, fente, a slit, French fente a slit, cleft, fissure, from fendre to split, Latin findere; but probably confused with French vent wind, Latin ventus. See Fissure, and compare Vent to snuff.]

1.
A small aperture; a hole or passage for air or any fluid to escape; as, the vent of a cask; the vent of a mold; a volcanic vent.
Look, how thy wounds do bleed at many vents. — Shakespeare
Long 't was doubtful, both so closely pent, Which first should issue from the narrow vent. — Pope
(a)
(Zoology) The anal opening of certain invertebrates and fishes; also, the external cloacal opening of reptiles, birds, amphibians, and many fishes.
(b)
(Gunnery) The opening at the breech of a firearm, through which fire is communicated to the powder of the charge; touchhole.
(c)
(Steam Boilers) Sectional area of the passage for gases divided by the length of the same passage in feet.
3.
Figuratively: Opportunity of escape or passage from confinement or privacy; outlet.
4.
Emission; escape; passage to notice or expression; publication; utterance.
Without the vent of words. — Milton
Thou didst make tolerable vent of thy travel. — Shakespeare
Collocations (5)
To give vent to , to suffer to escape; to let out; to pour forth; as, to give vent to anger.
To take vent , to escape; to be made public. [Rare]
Vent feather (Zoology) , one of the anal, or crissal, feathers of a bird.
Vent field (Gunnery) , a flat raised surface around a vent.
Vent piece (Gunnery) , (a) A bush. See 4th Bush, n., 2. (b) A breech block.

Vent , transitive verb

1.
To let out at a vent, or small aperture; to give passage or outlet to.
2.
To suffer to escape from confinement; to let out; to utter; to pour forth; as, to vent passion or complaint.
The queen of heaven did thus her fury vent. — Dryden
3.
To utter; to report; to publish. [Obsolete]
By mixing somewhat true to vent more lies. — Milton
Thou hast framed and vented very curious orations. — Barrow
4.
To scent, as a hound. [Obsolete] — Turbervile
5.
To furnish with a vent; to make a vent in; as, to vent. a mold.